Neighbourhood Infrastructure

Goal:

Water and energy infrastructure servicing UBC’s residential neighbourhoods is resilient and ready to respond to our changing climate. Upgraded systems support climate action and prioritize efficient, affordable and resilient services.

Targets

  • By 2035, at least 65% of neighbourhood energy supply is from low carbon sources (electricity or low carbon district energy).
  • By 2050, 100% of neighbourhood energy supply is from net-zero sources.

Action Highlights

🟩 high impact mitigation   🟦 high impact adaptation

Selected key actions are summarized below. To see the full detailed list of actions, please refer to the NCAP action matrix located in the Documents and Resources page.

  • Finalize plans and update agreements to convert NDES to low carbon energy supply.
  • Finalize updates to the Integrated Rainwater Management Plan (IRMP) to ensure rainwater systems are adapted to future climate conditions.
  • Complete NDES expansion in Wesbrook Place to provide 100% low carbon heating and cooling to new Wesbrook homes.🟩
  • Coordinate upgrades to low carbon electricity infrastructure to support climate action, including expanded EV charging, and low carbon heating and cooling systems.
  • Begin implementing the IRMP focusing on adaptive, green infrastructure (e.g. bioswales, rain gardens, ponds) that improves the neighbourhood capacity to respond to intense rain events.🟦

• Fully transition the NDES to low carbon energy supply (aligned with Wesbrook Place completion, approx. 2030).🟩

Actions in this scope area will also help deliver the following co-benefits:

  • Affordability: reducing the costs associated with taking climate action
  • Community Connection: supporting opportunities for community interaction and connection
  • Health & Wellbeing: improving health and wellbeing conditions for community members

Neighbourhood Infrastructure

Highlights of Progress to Date

  • Neighbourhood District Energy System is a centralized energy supply system that has been providing heat and domestic hot water to Wesbrook Place since 2015. The objective of the NDES is to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions by providing low-carbon thermal energy for residential neighbourhoods on the Vancouver campus.
  • Compact community design has reduced the amount of infrastructure, and its associated costs, needed to service the neighbourhoods.

Actions You Can Take

  • Residents play a key role in helping to conserve energy and water use, lessening the impact on our infrastructure. Consider adopting the following tips and learn more about what you can do by reading BC Hydro's PowerSmart Tips
    • Dishwasher – Wait until it’s full before running it and turn off the ‘heat dry’ setting.
    • Laundry – Wash with cold water and consider hanging laundry to dry.
    • Lighting – Switch to LED bulbs and consider adding dimmer switches or timers.
    • Appliances and electronics – Look for options with the ENERGY STAR certification.

Equity Considerations

  • District energy needs to be considered from an equity perspective (i.e. who pays for the system and who benefits).

📓 Learn More!

Electrification for Climate Action

NCAP’s pathway to net-zero community emissions includes a move towards electrification. Electrified equipment, such as heat pumps and electric vehicles, provide energy efficient, low carbon options to serve resident’s needs. They are a cornerstone of net-zero heating, hot water and cooling for our homes, and of net-zero mobility options.

Low carbon electricity, like that available in BC not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions, but also generates less air borne pollution. This offers direct local improvements to air quality as it removes or reduces the amount of locally combusted fossil fuels, such as natural gas in boilers for heating homes or hot water, and gasoline in cars.

Even with the benefits, electricity use is not without impacts. Whether from the impacts of electricity generation or from the resources to provide electrified equipment (e.g. EV batteries), electrification does have some negative consequences. To mitigate this, a move to electrify must also be paired with energy efficiency to minimize demand. Within NCAP, some examples of energy efficiency measures are commitments to increase operational energy performance requirements for new buildings, and EV charger load management requirements.

Explore More
BC Hydro's PowerTips
Explore BC Hydro's tips to save energy with everything in your home. Browse guides to find energy-efficient ideas for every technology, from heating systems to cooking appliances and more.
https://www.bchydro.com/powersmart/residential/tips-technologies.html?param=kitchen
UBC Integrated Stormwater Management Plan
The Integrated Stormwater Management Plan was created to ensure that the campus is responding to the ecological needs of the local lands while protecting the Point Grey cliffs and the valued areas of the campus from flooding.

/sustainability/sustainability-action-plans/integrated-stormwater-management-plan
Neighbourhood District Energy System
The NDES has been providing heat and domestic hot water to new homes built in Wesbrook Place since 2015.
https://planning.ubc.ca/NCAP/ndes